Molly Malone's breasts: Please stop telling tourists it is tradition to rub and grope them

petros1980

OP is trolling obviously, or else is just a bellend 😅

Gaspode

Folks, leave out the personal attacks on the op and any other posters please. If you can't counter an argument without stooping to abuse, a discussion site is not for you.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987854#Comment_120987854

It's a statue of a fictional character associated with Dublin. It's absolutely not a is a symbolic reference to all women. It commemorates the millennium of the city. There are many similar figures around, and they collectively represent Ireland culturally to our visitors.

I think the fact you are ok with vandalism of a piece of artwork is far worse than tourist engaging in a harmless superstition. Nobody who does that to an inanimate object, is under the illusion that it makes it ok to grope a person.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120988411#Comment_120988411

The Molly statue goes back to '88. But the tradition of rubbing statues is much older going back 100s of years. There's a Juliette statue in Verona that gets the same treatment. The Wall St Bull's balls. Or look at St Peter's foot at the Vatican, this may look like a boot, but originally it was sandals and individual toes.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987873#Comment_120987873

I think it has been shown beyond reasonable doubt that yes we are.

batman_oh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120987873#Comment_120987873

Eh yeah we are, just ones with bigger brains that make us think we are some form of higher enlightened species. We are a few steps removed from **** slinging apes.

Hodors Appletart

Another famous fondling of a fictional female takes place "in fair Verona" - the bauld Juliet herself is on display, and yes, tourists line up to caress her breast

https://www.wanderingitaly.com/blog/article/425/verona-rubbing-juliet-s-right-breast-and-getting-married

Having cosseted the bosoms of both statues in my time, I'm not biased when I state - our own Molly has the best pair, no doubt.

artanevilla

It kind of is a tradition now though. This is how traditions start.

whisky_galore

I thought we left Catholic prudishness behind us, seems not.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120988123#Comment_120988123

I assume by lads that you mean both fellas & girlies?

I don't see anything wrong at all with it and having met the woman who crafted it, I very much doubt she would either. Though she's passed on since and up there with Molly herself now.

amdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989367#Comment_120989367

It is Catholic Prudishness to ask people to stop rubbing the breasts of a statue? I would have thought more of a standard norm tbh

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990905#Comment_120990905

No but it is ridiculous to assume or insinuate that people who partake in this lighthearted tradition are sex pests or see women as nothing but sexual objects.

amdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990921#Comment_120990921

In your opinion that is. In my opinion, I think people initially (and I get it, they are encouraged by the leader of their tour etc) see it as something lighthearted and nothing more.

I thought that by opening this discussion it might get people (men?) thinking about it a little more. And maybe considering how other people/women feel about it. And maybe would consider, hey if women (or a random poster on boards) don't like it, do we need to do this going forward?

Lol. Lofty aspiration on my part I guess :( Instead I got a big load of After Hours style postings and slaggings. Well that shows me, I guess :(

Pixel Eater

Any news yet on the perpetrators of the paint attack?

Some 'activists' or just vandals?

Become Death

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990976#Comment_120990976

"I thought that by opening this discussion it might get people (men?) thinking about it a little more. And maybe considering how other people/women feel about it. And maybe would consider, hey if women (or a random poster on boards) don't like it, do we need to do this going forward?

With all due respect, it's hardly sexual groping. And a lot of your posts here have been exceptionally hyperbolic.

I see you draw a difference between men and women in your post. That opens a few questions.

Do you think that it is only men that do this? If a woman does it, does it make it less offensive?

I know, it's become trite at this stage, but when you specifically mention men and women as different, it is important that you can explain what you consider the difference to be. Are you talking about biological males and females or people who identify as one or the other?

growleaves

You should get consent from the statue first.

batman_oh

I've seen more women tourists do it than men in my time walking past, but either way it's a fairly sad thing to be offended by

amdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120991043#Comment_120991043

Actually that is a good question! You are right, I mention men, that was my bias coming out!!!!!  

On consideration, putting my bias aside, I don't like anyone rubbing and groping the statues breasts

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990905#Comment_120990905

No.

It's post-Catholic prudishness.

DeadHand

I hope the relevant authorities are keeping abreast of the situation.

Stephen_Maturin

Far bigger fish to fry in Dublin

It’s a piece of metal representative of someone who never existed and it’s pretty much only done by tourists who aren’t going to be reading this board anyway.

In other words, give over.

event

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/ireland/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-mysterious-molly-malone

To complicate matters further, in 2010, an earlier mention of Molly Malone was found in an 18th-century book of songs called Apollo’s Medley, printed in England in 1790. This more risqué version describes Molly as living in Howth, a fishing village northeast of Dublin. It recounts the singer’s yearning to share her bed, contributing to widespread speculation that the song’s leading lady worked as both a street vendor and a prostitute.

Sure she probably wanted people to grope them

YellowLead

Don’t have any issue with it, and I’m female.

OP - Is it the part of the statue that bothers you specifically, or would you be equally put out if it was her feet people were touching?

Goldengirl

I wonder if people were encouraged to fondle Daniel or Philo in the genital area , would there be any reaction negative or otherwise , seeing as they are only statues as well , albeit statues of formerly real people ?

It's all reductive silliness really ..but I am curious ;)

granturismo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120989198#Comment_120989198

Its only a tradition for tourists. Its not a local tradition.

amdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120991442#Comment_120991442

Well excuse me for not wanting to look at two shiny orbs which points out clearly what the maulers targets for groping and rubbing

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120991668#Comment_120991668

Presumably there’d be reaction from the usual perpetually offended

Normal people though? No I don’t think they could care less

amdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120991523#Comment_120991523

It is that her breasts are being groped.

I have the same issue with the Juliet statue (representing a 13 year old girl ffs!!!)

YellowLead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120991714#Comment_120991714

I suppose you’d have a heart attack on a topless beach. Boobs are just boobs ffs.

amdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120991730#Comment_120991730

Nope. I love a topless beach. And I love boobs. My boobs and other boobs. Fine, boobs are just boobs. Mauling boobs, that is a different story.

I would have thought it was clear from all my posts in this conversation I have a problem with the boobs on this statue being rubbed and groped that they are now shiny and a different colour from the rest of the statue.

Can't we just look at a statue and admire it and the story rather than grabbing at it because it has breasts?

Topgear on Dave

Until today I had no idea Mollys orbs were getting regularly polished by tourists